Upgrade Guide
Sony A6000→Sony A5000
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the A6000. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the A5000
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Battery life~420 shots (CIPA) vs ~360 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution20MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | A6000 | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -2.0 | ||
| Street | -1.1 | ||
| Travel | -0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.0 | ||
| Documentary | -0.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | -3.1 | ||
| Landscape | -0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | -2.5 | ||
| Casual | -0.1 | ||
| Food | -0.3 | ||
| Macro | -0.3 | ||
| Architecture | -0.4 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.2 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | A6000 | A5000 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £125 used | £78 used | |
| Released | 2014 | 2014 | |
| Sensor | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor APS HD CMOS | 20.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | Full HD 1080 (60i / 25p AVCHD), 1440×1080/30p MP4 | |
| Autofocus | 179 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points | 25-point contrast AF with face detection | |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | 3.5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~360 shots (CIPA) | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 344g (with battery and card) | 269g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | EVF, OLED 1.44M dots, 0.70× magnification | None (rear screen only) | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 921k dots (no touch) | 3.0" 180° flip-up LCD, 460k dots | |
| Mount | Sony E-mount | Sony E-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See A6000 and A5000 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the A5000 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the A6000
Related buying guides
Camera family history